Results 12,401-12,420 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Financial Resolution No. 14: Capital Acquisitions Tax (5 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I move the following Financial Resolution:

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (5 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that, in the case of the student referred to by the Deputy, a grant has already been awarded and an award letter issued on 22nd November 2012.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Emergency Works Scheme (5 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The school in question submitted an application in September 2012 for funding under the Emergency Works Grant to resurface the car park. As the scope of works for this project is outside the terms of the Emergency Works Scheme it cannot be considered for emergency funding. The school authorities were advised of this on 24th September, 2012.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Application Numbers (5 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 11, 20 and 28 together. I understand from Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that, as at the close of business on the 4th December, it has received 66,827 student grant applications for this year. Processing of 31,973 applications are now complete - 19,157 have been awarded, or awarded pending submission of final course details and 12,816 applications...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (5 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 and 13 together. Our young people are educated about the dangers of eating food which is unhealthy during their primary and second level education. It is important to realise that school is just one small but influential aspect of their lives. The Social Personal and Health Education (SPHE) programme is a mandatory part of the curriculum in primary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (5 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: School building projects are tendered in line with public procurement procedures. There are two methods of tendering (the Restricted procedure and the Open procedure). In both procedures there are minimum standards for participation (including previous experience, turnover, insurances, capacity to obtain a bond etc). The minimum standards for participation are stated in the Contract notice/...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Procurement (5 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Government's Public Service Reform Plan recognises the key strategic importance of public procurement and provides for the development of a new policy framework for procurement. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has recently notified Departments and public bodies of the mandatory requirement to use central contracts, put in place by the National Procurement Service (NPS),...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training (5 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The number of students currently enrolled in each of the five state funded primary colleges of education are set out in the attached table. The statistics are not available centrally by county. Hibernia College is a private provider of initial teacher education and provides a part-time online post graduate course. The College has two intakes per year in October and March. The average...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (5 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The information that the Deputy has requested regarding the Minor Works Scheme Payments for Cavan and Monaghan 2007-2011 is contained in the attached table. Please note that the PE Equipment Grant is included in the figures provided for 2010. Each school received €1000 plus €10 per capita in respect of the PE Grant. Minor Works Grant County 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Delays (5 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: It is understood that the Deputy is referring to students who are on the back to education allowance (BTEA). Officials in my Department have confirmed with officials in the Department of Social Protection dealing with BTEA claims that students who have not yet received a decision from Student Universal Support Ireland on their student grant are not being disadvantaged in relation to their...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Delays (5 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: In January 2011, VECs, local authorities or other public bodies interested in taking on administrative responsibility for the centralised student grants awarding and payments function were invited to submit proposals to the Department detailing how they might best deliver the overall service. The criteria used to evaluate the proposals were set out in the Expressions of Interest invitation...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Payments (5 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy may be aware, continuing students who are renewing their student grant for attendance on an existing course with their existing awarding authority, which will be either a local authority or a VEC, will continue to have their applications processed and paid by the relevant grant awarding authority. Continuing students on a level 6 or level 7 course in the Institutes of Technology...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (5 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm to the Deputy that the East Cork area has been identified as one of those projected to experience a significant increase in demand for school accommodation in the coming years and my Department is working to identify suitable land or buildings to meet this demand. The requirements of the school referred to by the Deputy are being considered in this context. The acquisition of a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (5 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that in the case of the student referred by the Deputy, he appealed the decision in relation to the rate of grant awarded to the appeals officer in SUSI on the 1st December 2012. SUSI aims to issue determinations on appeals as promptly as possible and within the specified timeframes defined in the Student...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Textbooks (5 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The use of tablet computers and e-books is a welcome innovation and demonstrates the commitment of schools to the full integration of ICT in teaching and learning. In relation to the VAT rate charged on the purchase of e-books, this matter has been raised with the Department of Finance and I am advised that the VAT rating of goods and services is subject to the requirements of EU VAT law with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Capitation Grants (5 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department provides capitation funding to all recognised primary schools within the free education scheme. As the Deputy is aware Budget 2012 provided for a 2% reduction in the funding for capitation and related grants to primary and second level schools in both 2012 and 2013 and a further 1% in 2014 and 2015. Due to my decision of 21st February last, to retain posts from previous...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Management (5 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: It is my view that, in the current economic circumstances, the practice of parents or pupils purchasing gifts for teachers or other staff members places an unnecessary financial burden on parents and is not appropriate. I would therefore encourage all schools to take any steps necessary, in consultation with their Parents Association as appropriate, to ensure that such practices are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Bill (5 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I am aware of the position adopted by the Munster Survivors Support Services Ltd that the contributions from the congregations should be given directly to the survivors and that the congregations should only deal directly with survivors on the issue of reparation whether offered in cash or via property. While I am aware that some survivors advocated a simple distribution of the available...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (6 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that the application of the student referred to by the Deputy is currently being assessed and that SUSI will be in contact with him directly in the coming days.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (6 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that the application of the student referred to by the Deputy is currently being assessed and that SUSI will be in contact with him directly in the coming days.